JLN Ranch: In the Heat of the Night
by Brambleshadow96
Summary: Original story; one-shot; songfic. "Then you ask yourself, is this where you belong/ Is it right, or is it wrong? / Does it matter what's right in the heat of the night . . ."


**This is another songfic using the characters from my JLN Ranch series. Most of them probably are, although I might do a few from a new series I plan to do called Dark Agent. Anyway, please review and let me know what you think.**

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**_JLN Ranch:_**

**_"In The Heat of the Night"_**

_In the heat of the night  
When you know it ain't right  
But you do what you wanna do  
You do what you feel  
_'_Cause no one can feel like you  
Out in the summertime city, ain't it a pity  
There's so much to tie you down  
You're leavin' tonight to somewhere you can't be found_

Lynne Acton gave Starfire, her sorrel Quarter Horse mare, one last pat and slipped out of the barn. The fourteen-year-old looked back as Starfire gave a loud whinny. Her white star glowed in the half-light of the barn.

"Sorry, girl. I'll see you tomorrow. I have to go," Lynne whispered to the mare before turning and striding away. She turned out the lights, encasing the barn in darkness.

She knew it wasn't right, but she did what she wanted to do. Lynne did what she felt, because no one could feel like her—except maybe her friends Eliza James and Devon Sharp, and Jake Black, her family's new groom, who she had a slight crush on. Of course, Eliza and Devon would tease her mercilessly if they ever found out. The three best friends had arranged to meet in town to see a movie, and Lynne was going to be late.

Out in the summertime city, wasn't it a pity, Lynne thought that there was so much to tie her down. That was why she was leaving the ranch tonight to somewhere she couldn't be found.

_While down at the edge of town  
At a pool hall where they all hang around  
You hear them talkin' about the girls they knew  
And talk about what they're gonna do  
And then you ask yourself, is this where you belong  
Is it right or is it wrong  
Does it matter what's right, in the heat of the night_

She walked along the sidewalk at the edge of town near the movie theater that doubled as a pool hall. Lynne ducked in and quickly found Eliza and Devon, as well as a few schoolmates. Of course, the guys were talkin' about all the girls they knew. Lynne was slightly shocked to see Jake there, but it was swiftly overcome by pleasure that he was talking about her. They started talking amongst themselves about what they were going to do tomorrow at school.

The dishwater-blonde jumped as she felt a hand clamp down on her shoulder and almost released a screech of terror. Relief flooded her when she saw it was Eliza, Devon on her heels. Lynne asked herself silently, _Is this where I belong?_ Was it right or was it wrong that she was hanging out her at night? But did it matter what was right, in the heat of the night?

_Out on the streets tonight, under the neon lights  
You're searchin' for something new  
But nothin' is real, and no one can feel like you  
They say that eagles fly in this red hot sky  
But were they just passing through  
Or did they look down and see what you found was true_

"Come on," Lynne said to her two best friends. "Let's go." Without waiting for a response, she started shoving her way out of the mass of bodies, making for the door.

"Lynne, wait up!" Eliza and Devon called, starting after their friend. She ignored them and didn't stop until she was well out of the theater/pool hall and walking out on the streets under the neon lights. Nothin' was real, and no one could feel like her.

Devon caught up to her and grabbed her arm. "Lynne, what is it?"

"Guys, I'm sorry, but I don't want to see a movie right now."

"But we planned on going to that one for ages!" Eliza protested, knitting her brow in confusion. Then it relaxed in realization. "You're searchin' for something new, aren't you? Namely Jake."

"What? No!"

"Hey, come on, Lynne," Devon joined in. "They say that eagles fly in this red-hot sky, but were they just passing through or did they look down and see what you found was true?"

_But still in the back of your mind  
You've got something to believe in, but there's so much to find  
As the bright lights dim and the night closes in  
You thought everythin' was ending, but it's yet to begin  
And you ain't seen nothin' yet  
But what you see you'll never forget and you'll say_

But still in the back of Lynne's mind, there was something to believe in. The fourteen-year-old didn't know what it was yet. There was so much to find.

As the bright lights above them dimmed and the night started to close in, she thought everything was ending. In fact, it had yet to begin. The three girls hadn't seen nothing yet, but what they'd see they'd never forget.

_Why oh why  
Did it take you so long to want something more  
Why oh why  
Did you never get off on this before  
Why oh why  
Well, here it is, the love you've been waiting for  
Why oh why  
Standing in front of you like an open door_

Why oh why did it take them so long—Lynne in particular—to want something more? Correction: why did it take her so long to want Jake? She'd never gotten off on him before. _Oh, boy. These two are going to kill me if they ever found out. That, or make me die of embarrassment._

"Hey, guys." Jake's soft voice made her shiver with delight as he came up behind her. Devon and Eliza exchanged knowing glances and smirks and slinked away.

Here was the love she'd been waiting for, and now he was standing in front of her like an open door.

Lynne smiled and turned around. "Hey, yourself. What's up?"

"Oh, just wondering if you'd like to walk around for a bit." Jake might only be two years older than her at sixteen, but he looked at least fifteen. The black leather jacked and torn, faded blue jeans might make him look tough, but it worked for Lynne, considering he was good with horses. His own horse was named Moonshadow. The daughter of the ranch's owner would have to be a fool to close the door he was holding open. Lynne smiled and said, "I'd like that."

Smiling slightly, he took her hand and they started walking along the edge of town. In the shadows, Eliza and Devon had to clamp their hands over each other's mouths to keep from busting a gut. When their two friends were out of sight, they burst into laughter.

Neither Jake nor Lynne noticed.

_Then you ask yourself, is this where you belong  
Is it right, or is it wrong  
Does it matter what's right,  
In the heat of the night_

_In the heat of the night, when you know it ain't right  
But you do what you wanna do  
You do what you feel  
_'_Cause no one can feel like you_

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**Song: "In the Heat of the Night" by Smokie/Pat Benatar (it was covered by the latter in her debut album of the same name)**


End file.
